


Din

by flecksofpoppy



Series: Poppy's Adventures in Night Ficcing [38]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Universe, Ficlet, Levi sitting in a lap, M/M, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, idk that's what anon suggested
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 07:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11031396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flecksofpoppy/pseuds/flecksofpoppy
Summary: He is worthy of blood.





	Din

**Author's Note:**

> Anon prompt was: "Erwin having a rough mental day and Levi soothing him with kisses and soft touches and closeness and sitting on his lap and trying to distract him from his own head."

The expedition is long and trying, and when they return, there’s tension around Erwin’s mouth.

They both know death. Soldiers crying out—kids, really, unseasoned and terrified in their last moments—a sacrificial bloodbath that’s supposed to be worthy of Erwin’s goals. But Levi knows how Erwin’s lips tighten, how the lines that have formed there grow more pronounced, how the heartbeat hammers in the prison of his rib cage, pulsing: guilt, guilt, guilt.

“A quarter of the Corps,” Levi says, his voice clipped and formal, sparing Erwin sentiment as he always does, “dead.”

“Death notices?”

“Dispatched.”

Levi sits down in his chair across from Erwin’s desk, watching as his Commander’s jaw clench.

“These lives weren’t wasted,” Erwin says, staring down at his blotter, running a hand through blond hair that’s begun to hang in his face.

“These lives weren’t wasted,” Levi echoes in confirmation. He stares at Erwin who won’t meet his eyes, and the rhythmic pounding emanating from Erwin’s side of the desk hurts Levi’s ears.

“Erwin.” His voice is still formal, polite, unemotional. “You need to go to bed.” Erwin lifts his eyes in surprise, staring at Levi.

“What?”

“You’re exhausted.” Levi frowns, rising to round the desk and enter Erwin’s space without hesitation. He gave up propriety long ago along.

“Go to bed.”

“I’m not able to yet.” Erwin’s voice is as tense as his mouth now.

Levi knows a guilty man when he sees one. Erwin is not polite about his massacres, noble and upright in his goals, but bloodshed is bloodshed, regardless of pretty words.

Nonetheless, to Levi, Erwin is above the common law; he’s different in the ranks of guilty men that Levi has met, and there have been many. He is worthy of blood.

“I can’t stop hearing hooves.” The confession is somewhat unexpected, and it hits Levi how exhausted Erwin truly is, how the lines around his mouth form from expeditions like these.

“Pounding.” He rubs his temples, shaking his head with a self-deprecating smile.

And then Levi’s fingers replace Erwin’s, rubbing his temples, chasing away the oncoming headache with a touch he knows is far too tender to explain away.

“Close your eyes.” Erwin inhales sharply for three guilty heartbeats, then closes his eyes as Levi instructs.

“Is it ever quiet?” Levi asks mildly after a few minutes, moving his hands to smooth through Erwin’s hair.

“No,” Erwin replies honestly.

Levi deliberates, staring at Erwin’s tense mouth and the crease between his eyebrows, and he gets close, sprawling himself over Erwin’s lap. The chair creaks as it takes his weight, and Erwin stiffens in surprise. His eyes fly open and he stares down at Levi, who just stares back.

“Tell me when it’s finally quiet,” he says, reaching to stroke his fingers once against Erwin’s jaw.

“I…” Erwin replies, distracted, blue eyes wide. But then, he shifts, readjusting Levi in his lap and bending to kiss him without more words. Levi kisses back, keeping Erwin’s lips for longer than he means to.

“It was a bad expedition,” Erwin whispers, but his mouth is relaxed now as he kisses Levi again. “When I’m in hell, I suppose I’ll pay.”

Levi sighs, feeling dangerously safe when Erwin’s hand has curled possessively around his bicep.

“Let’s go to bed.”

But it’s also just a heartbeat in Levi’s ear where he’s pressed it again Erwin’s chest through the bars of his ribs, and it simply repeats _alive, alive, alive._

And then, finally, there is quietude.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a [tumblr](http://flecksofpoppy.tumblr.com/). c:


End file.
